The Global Fight to Save Water

Even though I live in a seaside town with beautiful sandy beaches, I was always drawn to the lake on the outskirts of the town. A small lake, with very few visitors…until people started dumping trash into its clean waters.

Bottles, plastic bags, and garbage bobbing up and down on the water surface was not a pleasant sight to look at. Slowly, I stopped going to the lake due to the unbearable stench and the once beautiful retreat became an eyesore.

Transformation of a Local Lake

A few days back, the local newspaper reported that the complete makeover of our lake thanks to the efforts of Anand Malligavad, a water conservationist from Bangalore.

Water Conservation Efforts in Bangalore

Nicknamed the ‘Lakeman of India’, Anand Malligavad took the initiative to restore lakes across the country. However, his focus is saving the lakes in Bangalore. I wondered – why this city in particular? 

Lakes are an important source of drinking water in Bangalore. They also support agriculture and sustain fisheries in the city. But they are drying up at an alarming rate due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Currently, only 81 out of 262 lakes still have water, placing great pressure on the city’s water supply system.

Global Water Crisis: A Universal Issue

Despite the efforts of individuals such as Anand Malligavad, water scarcity is a global problem. Out of 70% of the water that covers our planet’s surface, only 3% is freshwater and available for our use.

And the question we need to ask ourselves is: If a single person can make such a huge difference to the local water sources, how can we all contribute to conserving water on a global scale?

Efforts to Conserve Water

Many governments and organizations have launched water conservation programs to tackle this growing issue. Several individuals and communities are implementing local and indigenous methods to save and conserve water resources.

‘Paani Foundation’, an NGO in Maharashtra, India, helps villages manage their water and natural resources effectively towards a drought-free future. Villagers are trained to adopt and implement tried and tested methods to store and conserve water.

Traditional and Indigenous Methods of Water Conservation

Similarly, communities in Rajasthan, a desert state in India, are turning to ancestral practices for rainwater harvesting at the local level. 

These include:

1. Bawdis: Multi-storied step-wells have staircases leading to the water levels.

1. Johads: Percolation ponds collect rainwater and recharge the groundwater levels.
2. Bunds: Ditches that collect or gather rainwater for agricultural purposes.

Meanwhile, Chennai has become the first Indian city to recycle wastewater for non-drinking and industrial purposes.

Successful Water Conservation Projects

Back in 2018, Cape Town, the capital of South Africa, was close to its Day Zero, the day when the region's water would run out altogether. Among other efforts, the city set limits on daily water usage and rewarded the schools that conserved the most water.

These efforts finally paid off and Cape Town was able to avoid Day Zero successfully by taking collective action in responding to the water scarcity threat.

Additional Resources on Water Conservation

If you want to dig deeper, we recommend watching or listening to the following educational resources:

1. The short film ‘The Conservation Kid’ by Rivers Are Life tells the story of a young activist, Cash Daniels and his efforts to clean rivers.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRb9-TvnSrE)

1. Also on our list is We Are Water Protectors, a book by Carole Lindstrom that paints a bold and beautiful picture of a young girl and her tribe’s vow to protect water.

(https://carolelindstrom.com/books/we-are-water-protectors/)

1. For those interested in audio stories, we suggest tuning into Curadio’s episode “Why Is It Important to Conserve Water?”

The direction of the water crisis in the future depends on the measures we implement in the present.

It’s time for affirmative action! Every drop counts and every action matters. Just do your bit, inside and outside your home.

That’s Not All!

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